Welcome to the GW8 Review – Farewell
Hello FFUK, it has been a while. As im sure you all know GW7 was cancelled as HRH Elizabeth the 2nd shuffled off this mortal coil and the country was given time to grieve, football was back wonderfully but fleetingly for GW8, however we must now bid football farewell again as we stroll on into another international break.
I have read many opinions on the break from the football due to her Majesty’s passing positive and negative, some excruciatingly insensitive and some inanely hysterical. Of all the things I have read Doc Scott summed it up best:
I am not a royalist by any stretch of the imagination, but I’m not an asshole either. RIP Mam.
Doc Scott 8th Sept 2022
The most sensible thing being written about the late Queen this week by a DnB DJ is fairly worrying for the state of the country/ world however I’m going to gloss over that, agree with the good Doctor and just wish her family thoughts and prayers from all at FFUK towers and move on, its what she would have wanted (probably).
Farewell Lizzy
So on to the football, or what was left of it, security constraints and threatened train strikes meant that Liverpool Vs Chelsea, Manchester United Vs Leeds and Crystal Palace Vs Brighton were all cancelled. This left many teams, yours truly’s included, in tatters. Wildcards were triggered, free-hits activated and hits taken. So what did you do? How were your stress levels during these two weird weeks to sort ya team.
Farewell to sleep.
8 of the FFUK top ten either wildcarded or free hit with 41 wildcards and 12 free hits across our league. A whopping 23% of people used a chip this week. Did you? Did you keep Salah and bench him or wave the underperforming Egyptian on? Did you manage to squeeze Kane & KDB in? The options were plentiful the tension was high with the cheap surprise point magnet Gross not playing either many team’s managers had to bite the bullet, take a hit just to get a full 11 out. I bid farewell to Salah telling myself he would be back in my team next game but with KDB looking good I may have to say farewell to that plan too. I hope you fared well and have a plan for the upcoming weeks before the world cup. With the Arsenal vs City game pushed out and more train strikes on the horizon it is becoming harder and harder to know when to wildcard i think i did hear the sound of a lot of buttons being pushed but as a hoarder mine is still in tact.
Anyway this week Arsenal looked majestic from the first minute punishing Brentford for their impudence on the opening day last season and are really beginning to look the part. Jesus (6) among the points again, Saka (9) weighed in with 2 assists. With Martinelli (3) blanking an Odegaard (0) not playing it is getting harder and harder to predict where the points will come from from the lads in red and white. Toney (2) was a popular transfer in but he too blanked as Saliba (15) kept him in his pocket for 90 minutes still finding the time to score another goal. Top four has to be the goal this season – trust the process. Farewell Thursday night football.
The City Juggernaut rolled on with Haaland (6) on the scoresheet again, Cancelo (9) gave his owners an unexpected surprise with no assists or goals but still managing to bring home 3 bonus points as they swept Wolves aside, KDB (10) with 2 assists looks imperious and Grealish (10) quieting the doubters with lovely goal. Wolves looked poor, I think the Neves (1) experiment is well and truly over but Diego Costa is looking tasty at £5.5 milly, just how over the hill is the Spanish psycho?
Stevie G warded off the ever present spectre of the sack for another week as his Villa side toiled to a victory over a strangely lacklustre Southampton. Last season’s bargain pick Ramsey (10) was back in the goals taking home all 3 bonus points too. Does Stevie G know what he is doing? His reluctance to start Buendia (1) make me think not.
Fulham and Forest shared 5 goals with Forest losing a 2 goal lead for the second time in two matches, a Mitrovitch (2) blank was a surprising sight and a painful one for the managers who had brought him in this week. Tosin (7), Reed (10) and Palinha (8) struck for Fulham with Awoniyi (7) and O’brien (6) notching for Forest, Forest need to start picking up some points they have invested heavily in a huge amount of new players, if they don’t stay up it wont be a pretty sight.
Spurs beat Leicester 6 (six) 2 with everyone’s favourite “he’s not that sort of player” player returning to form. A nice second half hattrick left Son (19) owners ecstatic and Son sellers in despair. Our very own JPC – JPC Shirley (100th) was a very happy bunny as his team romped home with 79 points 19 of them willingly contributed by that man Son. Kane (10) hit a double rewarding those brave enough to hand him the armband over the machine that is Haaland. Oh and by the way Son is very definitely is that kind of player!
Newcastle rescued the a point at home to Bournemouth in another surprising result Isak (9) slotting home from the spot, with Calum Wilson seemingly always struggling for fitness he becomes another option if you are looking for a mid-priced forward. Everton vs West Ham closed the week’s football with Fat Frank’s Everton winning 1-0 in a truly terrible match. There wasn’t room for Frank and Stevie in the England midfield I wonder how much longer we will see them both managing in the Premier League.
Now with an International break on the horizon we must say farewell to FFUK and turn our attention to other things.
Before that we should have a look at the team of the week, some familiar faces and some surprises. How many did you have?
After this week the FFUK top ten looks like this.
It gives me great pleasure to give a massive shout out to Big Davey Moore whose team Stefan Conts (3rd) seized another 73 points this week, keeping him the top 10 for the 8th week in a row – good work Davey!
Iain Sanderson (21st) was top scorer in the league this week with 89pts scored – bravo that man!
The first Manager of the Month is Andrew Clarke with PawPatrol (13th) accruing a huge 144 points this month and taking home fifty quid, well played Andy, nice to win some cash so early with so much more moola still to play for.
Before I go lets have a good look at the Conts.
This is normally a very sombre time as we say farewell to a brave competitor and all look at the ground respectfully as they file past us, head held defiantly high, but not this week.
It is with great joy and true happiness that I can announce Ben Eastwood’s departure, a pitiful 42 points not enough to save him after transferring Son out of his team. Still feeling good about all that gloating at poker bro?
See ya!
I’m literally dancing a joyous jig.
Farewell brother.
As we have lost a GW we have had to slightly adjust the Conts eviction format. The Halloween Horror Show is now even more bloodthirsty and will now see us lose 8 brave souls not the published 7, fun times are ahead.
Did you read that bit Benny? Sorry it doesn’t apply to you, I should have warned you.
With that I will bid you all a fond farewell, look out for a cup update shortly, enjoy the International break and try not to tinker too much.
One Love.
Mark – Nuisance Value (36th)
FFUK 